Biography

Matt Cartwright is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District from 2013 to 2025. Born on May 1, 1961, in Erie, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Alton S. Cartwright and Adelaide Cartwright. He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, graduating in 1979, before earning a Bachelor of Arts in history, magna cum laude, from Hamilton College in 1983. He then earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1986.

Before entering politics, Cartwright worked as an attorney and partner at Munley, Munley, and Cartwright, a Scranton-based law firm specializing in personal and business litigation. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1986 and the New York Bar in 2005. In 2008, he was inducted into the International Society of Barristers.

In 2012, Cartwright was elected to Congress, defeating incumbent Tim Holden in the Democratic primary. He was re-elected in subsequent terms, serving until 2025. During his tenure, he was recognized for his bipartisan effectiveness, introducing more legislation with support from both parties than any other House Democrat. He authored 16 bills that were signed into law by three Presidents, including the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which benefits U.S. Marines and their families exposed to contaminated water at that military base.

Cartwright served as a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations, chairing the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. He was also the co-chair of the Bipartisan House Military Depot Caucus and the vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. In 2024, he was appointed to the board of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts in History from Hamilton College, 1983
  • Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1986

• Political Experience:

  • U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, 2013–2025
  • Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science
  • Co-chair of the Bipartisan House Military Depot Caucus
  • Vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition
  • Appointed to the board of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, 2025